We may be a month away from the start of training camps in the NBA, but that doesn’t mean there is no action in the hoops world. Across the pond, in Slovenia, they’re gearing up for the Wednesday kickoff of Eurobasket ’13, which will serve as a qualifier for next year’s FIBA World Cup in Spain. While many of the familiar international faces—Tony Parker, Joakim Noah, Marc Gasol—will be participating, there is a new wave of players NBA fans should be giving some attention over the coming days:

Nemanja Nedovic, Serbia

Nemanja Nedovic must step up in order for the Serbian team to be successful. (AP Photo)

Nenad Krstic is still the centerpiece of the Serbian team, but around him is an entirely new generation of young players who have yet to prove much—the Serbs failed to qualify for last year’s Olympics after a disappointing eighth-place finish in 2011’s Eurobasket tournament. If Serbia is to be resurgent, the 22-year-old Nedovic will most likely be the guy who leads them. He is an athletic 6-4 guard who, for better or worse, has drawn comparisons to Derrick Rose and is expected to have a breakout performance in Slovenia. The Warriors thought highly enough of Nedovic to move into the first round to draft him.

Donatas Motiejunas, Lithuania

One reason the Rockets were not in a big hurry to go get a power forward to complement Dwight Howard could be that they think they already have one—the multitalented Motiejunas. He had limited opportunities as a rookie last year, but showed flashes of his ability during a March stretch in which he started 13 games. He is a 7-footer who can shoot from the perimeter but isn’t afraid to play in the post. He, along with center Jonas Valanciunas, will anchor what should be very good future Lithuanian teams.

Dario Saric, Croatia

Had he been willing to take a gamble, Saric—a talented scorer and versatile athlete—might have been a lottery pick this year. But, unable to get a solid enough guarantee, he withdrew from the draft and returned to Europe. He could go in the Top 10 next year, but only if he keeps building on the success he had last year. Saric has been on the radar of NBA scouts since he was 16, but his improvement has come in fits and starts. He is 19 now, and this tournament will be a good opportunity to show that he has matured.

Gigi Datome, Italy

The MVP of the Italian League last year, Datome was signed by the Pistons this offseason and will have ample chance to show his wares at Eurobasket. That’s because the Italian team will be without Danilo Gallinari, who is recovering from knee surgery, as well as Andrea Bargnani, who is out with pneumonia. Datome is a 25-year-old small forward who is coming off a breakout season and would like to keep that going for his national team.

Aleksey Shved, Russia

Shved was impressive during the 2012 Olympics, helping Russia to a bronze medal and beginning to throw off his reputation for inconsistency. But that team featured the likes of Timofey Mozgov, Victor Khryapa and Andrei Kirilenko—Shved’s mentor. Neither will play this time, which means Shved should be the star of Russia’s show. Similarly, in Minnesota, Kirilenko is gone now, and Shved will have to learn to thrive without his friend on hand.

Sergey Karasev, Russia

Cavaliers fans will take a special interest in the performance of Karasev, who was the team’s choice with the No. 19 pick. He has a reputation as a dead-eye shooter, and just as Russia’s roster depletion means Shved will get more chances, so Karasev will take on a bigger role, too. It helps that Russia new coach happens to be Sergey’s father, Vasily Karasev.

Nando de Colo, France

His first year in the NBA didn’t go quite as planned in San Antonio for Nando de Colo, who was an afterthought behind Cory Joseph when the playoffs came around. But he typically plays well for the French team, subbing for Tony Parker and even playing alongside of him. If he needs a confidence boost heading into his season with the Spurs, maybe he can get it in Solvenia.

Pero Antic, Macedonia

The Hawks signed Antic, who is a 6-11, 31-year-old power forward, this summer and his versatility as an inside-outside big man is a key for the success of Macedonia. In the last Eurobasket, Macedonia reached the bronze medal game thanks largely to the exploits of Bo McCalebb, the former University of New Orleans guard who is a naturalized Macedonian. But Antic is the team’s top frontcourt player.

Nikola Vucevic, Montenegro

Montenegro took a blow when Timberwolves center Nikola Pekovic pulled out of Eurobasket, but that will give Vucevic more of an opportunity to shine. In only his second season, Vucevic quietly established himself as one of the more promising young big men in the NBA in Orlando last year (13.1 points and 11.9 rebounds), and his performance in the middle for Montenegro will be an opportunity to build on that.